Snow Covered Roses
by xxUSxUKxx
Summary: After several times of begging, Arthur finally gets to meet Alfred's parents. Just... not in the way the young Brit expects. (One-shot, USUK pairing - First Story! - Completed!)


**Author's Note:** Hello! This is my first fanfic story here on this site, so this should be interesting. This is a Hetalia Axis-Powers fic with the pairing of America and England, but I use their human names. I do not own Hetalia or have anything to do with them, other than writing about them. I get no money or whatever from people reading this, this story is just strictly for enjoyment purposes only.

Thank you, and enjoy!

Xxxx

It was yet another frosty afternoon along the East Coast of the United States. Hints of snow littered the ground, making streets and sidewalks more slippery than usual. The sky was thick with grey clouds, which hinted that there was more snow yet to come. Walking down a path near a street, were two men, one taller than the other.

The taller man had messy blonde hair with one piece that stuck straight up in the front. He wore glasses, which the lenses seemed to freeze up due to the weather. His brown fighter-plane jacket bore a large number 50 on the back, with dark, thick fur around the collar. He wore simple jeans and Converses, as though he had just woken up and grabbed the first thing he could find.

The other man, on the other hand, was dressed totally different. He wore a long, black coat that went down to his ankles. His pants looked like they were carefully stitched together by some exotic brown fabric. And perched upon his also-untidy blonde hair was a black top hat. It was obvious that the shorter of the two was not from these neck of the woods.

"Alfred," The shorter man spoke up, his voice thick with a British accent. White puffs issued from his mouth as he shrugged his coat on more securely. "You still have yet to answer my question." His voice sounded both stern, which matched his expression, and also interested.

The taller man, who was named Alfred, merely just sighed, a larger puff of white blew from his mouth and into the cold air. "How many times do I have to say it, Artie. The answer's no."

"And how many times have I told you not to call me '_Artie_'." The shorter man shot back, his face was dangerous for a moment.

A chilly wind whipped past the both of them as they turned a corner. In front of them were apartment buildings that were made of bricks. Just down the street was the ocean, where the salty water lashed up the rocks on the shoreline.

"Come on, Alfred. Please?" The shorter man said, changing his facial expression. His eyes were wide as he pouted his lip ever so slightly. He knew that this was the only way to get what he wanted from the taller man.

"No. No. No!" Alfred slapped his own face. "Not with the face! You know I can't look at it!"

"_Please_?"

"Arthur, stop. Seriously."

"And why should I?" He crossed his arms, raising a thick eyebrow at the other.

Alfred stopped walking and faced Arthur, gipping his shoulders. "I just can't say..., okay?"

Normally, at a moment like this, Arthur would be all red in the face. He cherished every moment that he shared with Alfred. Especially those when they would touch, on accident or on purpose, it didn't matter, it was all the same to him.

"That's not fair." Arthur said, letting out a defeated sigh.

"Maybe some other time." Alfred nodded, casting him a smile in hopes that he'd let the conversation drop. Leaning over, he placed a small kiss on the other's lips.

But right when Alfred was about to start walking again, Arthur spoke up, still rooted to the spot.

"But you _always_ say that." His voice was almost like a whisper, causing Alfred to stop walking and turn around to face him.

"What?"

"You always say that!" Arthur's voice grew louder. "You always say 'some other time'. But _when_ is that time? It has to be _some_ time." His arms were crossed over his chest again and waited to see if Alfred could wiggle his way out of this one.

Alfred paled slightly, even though there wasn't much color there to begin with due to the whipping winds that came off from the ocean. He was standing in front of Arthur know, towering over him as their eyes met. Arthur's was a hard green gaze, like he knew that Alfred would be defeated this time. And that's when Alfred saw it. There would be no escaping this time.

Sighing, he closed his crystal blue eyes behind his glasses and reached up a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Fine." Alfred said plainly, still not opening his eyes.

Arthur stopped, his eyes growing wide. Had he won? Had Alfred finally admitted defeat by him? _Nonsense_, he scolded himself. He knew Alfred all too well, and him admitting defeat was surely not hero-like.

"Pardon?"

"I said, fine." There was a sigh, followed by some more of those white puffs. "You want to meet my parents? Fine. We'll go."

And with that, Alfred just turned his back and started heading down the sidewalk at a very rushed pace. He didn't even glance over his shoulder to see if Arthur was following behind him.

Still dumbfounded by Alfred, Arthur just merely blinked and followed behind as quickly as he could. His mind was spinning. This was it, he was about to meet Alfred's parents! Why had Alfred been so concealed about him meeting them? Surely they can't be _that_ bad, could they? Well, if he could put up with Alfred, then he was sure he could put up being with them. Besides, everyone he knew liked him, so he could basically get along with everyone.

Unless he'd get mad, then _that_ would be hell. Arthur was pretty well known for having a temper when things didn't go exactly how he planned it to be. But this time was different. Taking in a deep breath, Arthur trotted up next to Alfred, trying to calm himself down and brace for the best.

Once they reached the apartment building at the end of the street, Alfred headed up the stairs. A golden sign with the number _42_ was glistening on the side of the building next to the door. The building was fairly tall, with what appeared to be two floors. He knew Alfred lived on the second floor, since it was much larger and he needed lots of more space.

Opening the red door, Alfred held it open as Arthur followed in. Removing his hat, Arthur looked around the entry hall. It was plain and simple. The walls were white with photos of tropical beaches and shorelines. There were stairs to the right, which led up to Alfred's apartment. To the left, was a hallway that led to the other occupants' household.

Alfred was just about to head up the stairs, when the door down the hallway opened. The taller man leaned over the railing, and Arthur did the same.

Out of the green door on the first floor, came an elderly-looking man. His white hair was matted and long. But Arthur merely smirked when he saw a top hat on that man. He had on a coat that was similar to the one that Alfred had, but much more well treated. He was just about to head out the front door of the apartment building when he spotter Alfred and Arthur.

"Alfred! Good to see you!" The man's voice was hoarse, like he had been sick for quite some time and was just now recovering.

"Hi, Uncle Sam." Alfred said quietly, nodding in a greeting. Arthur did the same, seeing that that was probably the most appropriate time to.

Alfred's Uncle Sam just smiled up at the two of them as his hand reached for the handle to the front door. "What are you kids up to?"

Beside him, Arthur could feel Alfred shake as he let out a small laugh. It humored the both of them that they were still being called kids. But Arthur knew that that pet-name suited Alfred perfectly.

"Actually," Alfred cleared his throat, jamming his hands into his pockets looking slightly nervous. "We're going to visit Ma and Dad." He said finally.

Uncle Sam's face grew dark for a moment, which made Arthur a bit anxious. "Ah, I see." The older man just nodded, looking down at the bag of items he had in his arms. "Well, give them my regards."

Alfred smiled smugly as Arthur fidgeted uncomfortably.

Was there something that he was missing? Was there something wrong about them seeing his parents?

"No worries, Uncle Sam. Will do!" And with that, Alfred just smiled more widely now, turning to Arthur to pull him up the rest of the stairs. Arthur just let him, glancing over his shoulder as Alfred's uncle closed the front door to the apartment building behind him.

"Your uncle sure is a curious fellow." Arthur said cautiously, trying to carefully start up a conversation. But Alfred merely just grunted in agreement as he grabbed his car keys. Arthur stood by the door to his apartment, hands in his coat pockets, ready for the two of them to head off. But before Alfred followed him, Arthur noticed that he took two single red roses from a vase on the middle of the dining table in the kitchen.

Arthur pursed his lips together in a small and poorly disguised smile. Alfred never seised to surprise him. He never knew that Alfred could be so considerate to his parents. Nevertheless, Arthur pushed those thoughts aside as Alfred approached him, a small smile on his lips.

"Ready?" He asked, and Arthur nodded. "Are you sure you wanna go through with this? My parents aren't exactly..." Alfred trailed off, staring off into the distance in a train of thought.

"Alfred?" Arthur asked, waving his hand in front of his face.

Once he grabbed the other's attention, he placed his hands on his face, careful as to not touch his glasses. Alfred looked up into his green eyes again, feeling a warming sensation creep along his cheeks. Arthur did the same. That was when he stood up on his toes and planted a kiss on his lips as a symbol of recognition that he was fine.

"I'm sure your parents are lovely." He said simply, once they broke apart.

Alfred had opened his mouth to say something more. but decided against it, whatever it was. He just nodded at Arthur, smiling his signature smile now, which meant that Arthur could relax more so around Alfred again.

"Alright, let's head out." Alfred grabbed the other's hand and led the way downstairs. "But don't say I didn't warn you!" He advised as they both walked out of the apartment building to Alfred's car.

It was still pretty chilly outside, but Arthur didn't mind. Alfred's hand engulfed his, and that was all he really needed to stay warm. Arthur could feel his face getting warmer by the second as Alfred still held onto him. It made him feel as though they were back in high school again, where holding hands were a big deal, especially for them together.

Before Alfred started the engine to his car, he turned in his seat and faced Arthur. Alfred's face was grim, which slightly unnerved Arthur a bit. He had never seen his facial expression go so dark before, he was not used to it.

"Arthur, before we go... Can I ask a favor?" Alfred's blue eyes glinted with a slight hope.

"Of course, love." Arthur smiled slightly, trying to see if he could wipe that dark look off from Alfred's face with a smile of his own. "What would that favor be?"

"Can you close your eyes?" Alfred's question seemed to surprise Arthur. He had expected the other to ask something maybe much more complex.

"Um... Of course." And with that, Arthur was plunged into the darkness behind his eyelids.

"Okay, I just want you to keep them shut until I tell you to open them." Alfred advised.

"Sure, sure." Arthur nodded, his eyes still closed. If Arthur was one thing in this world, it was that he would always keep his promises. He was always a trustworthy person and would always be hard to crack under pressure.

"Okay, great." Alfred's voice sounded cheerful again as he let out a big sigh of relief. That was followed by the roar of Alfred's engine coming to life.

Then they were off, speeding down the streets. Arthur still had his eyes closed, but was feeling slightly unsure of himself as Alfred swerved down the road, and took the the corners a little too sharply.

"_You crazy American_! Are you trying to get us _killed_?" Arthur shouted aloud, clutching onto the side handle of the door to keep himself from falling over. But he could only hear Alfred's laughter.

Reaching an arm up, Arthur tried to punch Alfred's arm in a friendly gesture, but ended up hitting something else.

"Ouch!" Alfred let out a yell. "Why'd you hit me in the face for, dude?"

"Oh, did I? Sorry." Arthur apologized, his face fell into concern, but still kept his eyes closed. "I was trying to give you one of those friendly gestures you Americans use."

"Ha, nice try! But try to aim for my shoulder next time, not my face." Alfred laughed, and judging by the teasing tone he was using, he was probably smiling. Arthur just sighed and also smiled. "Well, it's good to know that you're keeping your promise about keeping your eyes closed."

"Well, _of_ _course_." Arthur said in a matter-of-fact kind of voice, trying to place his hands on his hips. "I'm not a man to break a promise."

"Good. Glad to hear that." Alfred said softly.

The two of them fell into a silence again. But before Arthur could think of something else to say, Alfred turned another corner and the car slowly came to a halt.

"Well, here we are." Alfred sighed.

"May I open my eyes now?" Arthur asked, curiously.

"Umm..." Alfred sounded nervous again. "Not yet. I'll tell you when."

Arthur's face fell in disappointment. _What was there that he didn't want me to see yet? _Arthur asked himself. But the thought was cut short when he heard his car door open.

Alfred had grabbed his hand and helped him out, careful as to not let Arthur hit the top of his head on the car. Once standing, Alfred still kept his grip on Arthur and pulled him along.

"Just follow my the sound of my big hero voice." Alfred advised, humming a song over to Arthur, who was trailing behind but still holding his hand.

"It's kind of hard not to." Arthur said sarcastically, chuckling to himself.

"_Aw_, you love my voice? Thanks, dude, I'm touched." Alfred matched his sarcasm.

Arthur smiled again. This was the Alfred he liked. The carefree and full of pride and joy Alfred that he had grown to love.

Alfred was still humming as he pulled Arthur along. Snow crunched underneath their feet, which gave Arthur the impression that they were possibly walking across their parents lawn. It was still cold out, but he was still nice and warm with Alfred around, considering the taller man gave off so much heat.

Arthur could feel his heart race in anticipation. This was a big thing for him, to finally meet Alfred's parents. Alfred, though, didn't mention them much in a conversation, so Arthur took this as a great opportunity to make a good reputation with himself towards Alfred's family. Alfred, on the other hand, was quite a handful when he met Arthur's parents. He was loud, lazy, and ate almost everything that the Kirkland family had in the pantry. Of course, Arthur's parents were not amused, but they still enjoyed Alfred's company since they said that he kept Arthur in tact.

The two of them were weaving their way past some things, which Arthur guessed that they were possibly Christmas ornaments, since it was almost the holidays.

But before Arthur could ask if they were almost there, Alfred came to a stop, which caused Arthur to walk right into him.

"Ouch! Wanker." Arthur cursed under his breath, moving to the side of Alfred, who stood motionless.

"Okay, Arthur," Came Alfred's voice after a few moments of silence. Strangely, though, his voice was shaking, as though he were about to start to cry.

Arthur stood up straight, guessing that they had made it to the front door. He used his hand, the one not clasped in Alfred's, to try to fix his coat and hat. It was essential for him to make positive first impressions.

"You, uh... You can open your eyes now."

At those words, Arthur's eyes flew open. He had taken in a big breath before he did so, feeling his excitement grow even more so.

But there was something different.

There was no door standing in front of them. In fact, there was no house at all. All that stood in front of the both of them was a large stone.

And that was when Arthur understood.

All that time that Alfred argued that they didn't go see his parents is because they weren't _there_ to actually _meet_ the both of them. They were here, in this yard. Buried. Sleeping.

Alfred's parents were no longer around.

Arthur just blinked, caught off guard by what lay before him. Turning his head, he looked up at Alfred, who was sniffling quietly and blinking back tears from his eyes. But Arthur merely just smiled and faced the gravestone again.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Jones," Arthur greeted calmly, smiling politely. He moved closer to the stone, dropping his hand from Alfred's to sit down in the snow. He reached out to brush his hand along the cold stone, showing that he was shaking their hands. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Arthur could feel Alfred join next to him in the snow. He looked up at the taller man, who was still tearful but had a smile on his face as he looked back down at Arthur.

Alfred faced the stone again, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Ma? Dad? This is Artie, by boyfriend."

Arthur's whole being rose when Alfred introduced him. "You know, I could speak for myself." He nudged Alfred in the side, chuckling to himself.

"Well, whatever you say, dude." The other's grin grew more once he saw how relaxed Arthur had become.

Arthur rolled his eyes, and turned his attention back to the Alfred's parents. "I just wanted to say thank you." He nodded.

Alfred gave him a confused look. "What? Why are you saying 'thanks' ?"

The shorter man merely just smiled, not quite looking back at Alfred yet. "I just wanted to say thank you for bringing him into this world. It's been such a privilege having mine and his paths cross."

"Geez, Artie, you don't have to say all that." Arthur looked up to a blushing Alfred.

"What?" Arthur just merely blinked. "It's all true. I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

And that's when Alfred lost it. He gave into his tears, and fell into Arthur's open arms. He buried his face into Arthur's shoulder, his tears staining the black coat. But Arthur didn't care. He just reached up his arms and rubbed Alfred's back, hushing him softly.

"Arthur?" Alfred's mumbled voice came. The other was taken aback slightly by how Alfred said his full name, no nick-names or anything, just his first full name. And Alfred rarely called him but his full name.

Arthur leaned backwards slightly, so that he could get a better look at the taller man better. Alfred's eyes were still all red from crying, but had a smile that he could muster.

"I don't know what it is," He let out a sigh. "But, dammit Arthur, you're the best."

Arthur blushed. Alfred had never said that to him before. Heck, Alfred never said anything that touching to him like that before. But Arthur felt like he was walking on air, and started crying as well.

"What the hell, Arthur?! Why're you crying, dude?" Alfred immediately became concerned, cupping the other's face in his hands. "Dude, don't cry. You're in front of my parents." He whispered, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Letting out a short laugh, Arthur brought his hands up to his face, wiping his eyes before gazing into Alfred's swirling blue ones again. "You're so beautiful, Alfred, you know that?"

"Heh... Only because I'm with you." Alfred responded, kissing his nose.

That small kiss triggered a thousand butterflies to fly around Arthur's stomach. They were the same ones that Arthur had felt when Alfred had first asked him out in high school, that so many years ago. "Well, you're my hero, so I need someone out there to look out for me." He smirked back, also lightly kissing Alfred's nose.

The two of them spent about an hour in the graveyard, talking to Alfred's parents like they were actually there. Alfred had never known that Arthur would be so calm and collected around his parents. Normally, when he told people about his parents, they would all freak out. But Arthur was different, and Alfred was glad to have met him.

Arthur was equally as happy. He smiled more at Alfred as the two of them headed off on their way from Alfred's parents' grave, the roses that Alfred brought were crossed near the grave, snow slowly starting to cover the soft red petals. . "I hope your parents liked me."

Alfred smiled. "I know they do."

**~ Fin ~**

Favorite if you liked, and leave a comment! Thanks so much and expect more of my works coming soon! Hurray for a sappy love story. Aha!  
Love, xxUSxUKxx


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